The Oprichnik or The Guardsman ( ) is an opera in 4 acts, 5 scenes, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to his own libretto after the tragedy The Oprichniks () by Ivan Lazhechnikov (1792–1869). The subject of the opera is the oprichniks. It is set in Ivan the Terrible's court during the oprichnina times (1565–1573). Tchaikovsky worked on the opera from February 1870 - March 1872. It includes music from his early opera The Voyevoda (1869). The work is dedicated to the Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich Romanov. It was given its premiere performance at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg on 24 April 1874, followed by the Moscow premiere on 16 May 1874 at the Bolshoi Theatre. Roles Instrumentation Source: Tchaikovsky Research Strings: Violins I, Violins II, Violas, Cellos, and Double Basses Woodwinds: Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets (1 in B-flat, 1 in A), 2 bassoons Brass: 4 Horns (in F), 2 Trumpets (in D, F, and C), 3 Trombones, Tuba Percussion: Timpani, Triangle, Cymbals, Bass Drum Other: Harp Synopsis Introduction. Act 1 No. 1 — Scena No. 2 — Chorus of Maidens No. 2a – Natalya's Song No. 3 — Scena & Chorus No. 4 — Scena & Chorus No. 5 — Recitatives No. 5a – Basmanov's Arioso No. 6 — Natalya's Arioso No. 6a – Chorus of Maidens Act 2 Entr'acte No. 7 — Scena & Morozova's Aria No. 8 — Scena & Duet No. 9 — Prelude, Scena & Finale No. 9a – Prince Vyazminsky's Aria No. 9b – Andrey's Aria Act 3 Entr'acte No. 10 - Chorus of People No. 11 - Recitatives, Chorus of Boys & Duet No. 12 - Scena No. 12a-Natalya's Arioso No. 13 - Finale Act 4 No. 14 - Wedding Chorus No. 15 - Dances of Oprichniks & Women No. 16 - Recitatives, Chorus & Duet No. 17 - Chorus & Scena No. 18 - Scena & Quartet No. 19 - Closing Scena Note: The entr'acte to Act II may have been written and scored by Vladimir Shilovsky. Derived works Arrangements by the composer Numbers from the opera for voices with piano accompaniment (1873) Funeral March on Themes from the Opera The Oprichnik (1877, lost) Recordings 1948, Alexei Korolyov (Prince Zhemchuzny), Natalya Rozhdestvenskaya (Natalya), Vsevolod Tyutyunnik (Molchan Mitkov), Lyudmila Legostayeva (Boyarina Morozova), Dmitri Tarkhov (Andrei Morozov), Zara Dolukhanova (Basmanov), Konstantin Polyaev (Prince Vyazminsky), Antonina Kleschtschova (Zakharyevna). Moscow Radio Choir and